Mormon Women’s Group Founder Excommunicated from Church

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon church has excommunicated the prominent founder of a Mormon women's group.

The group, Ordain Women, announced Monday afternoon that Kate Kelly's former church leaders in Virginia notified her of the decision. Kelly's former leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had weighed the high-profile decision overnight. She did not attend the disciplinary hearing but instead held a vigil in Salt Lake City with about 200 supporters.

As the leader of Ordain Women, Kelly is accused of apostasy, which is repeated and public advocacy of positions that oppose church teachings. Mormon officials aren't discussing Kelly's case, but say that disciplinary hearings are held when members' actions contradict church doctrine and lead others astray.